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You mention you will release the game through the 'usual' channels, such as Steam. I'd love to pledge, but the reward tier leaves things a bit vague promising a 'DRM-free' copy. If I have to be brutally honest, that would end up in a corner of a room or hard drive and never get used and I'd still end up getting the game on Steam. As that seems a little futile, would it be possible to add a tier specifically promising the game on Steam? (Provided the game is released there, otherwise those pledgers receive a drm-free copy instead)

Evil Tactician wrote:You mention you will release the game through the 'usual' channels, such as Steam. I'd love to pledge, but the reward tier leaves things a bit vague promising a 'DRM-free' copy. If I have to be brutally honest, that would end up in a corner of a room or hard drive and never get used and I'd still end up getting the game on Steam. As that seems a little futile, would it be possible to add a tier specifically promising the game on Steam? (Provided the game is released there, otherwise those pledgers receive a drm-free copy instead)

Hey Evil, I understand your concern, but I imagine that I will be able to provide Steam keys for everyone who wants them! So I don't think another tier is necessary, when the time comes I will probably just send out a survey of how you would like to receive your copy of the game, and will then act accordingly for each person that backed. So it should be no problem to get your copy on Steam!

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.” ~ Henry Ford

As convenient as Steam is, I'd much prefer the DRM-free copy, as the Steam Subscriber Agreement makes it quite clear you don't actually own any of the games you pay full price for (even though Steam is littered with "purchase" buttons); you merely subscribe to/rent them. If at any time you don't agree to a change Steam makes to its Subscriber Agreement terms, they can summarily revoke access to all your games you paid full price for. Just like that.

Some relevant conditions from the agreement can be found below for those who care to read legalese. I'm in law school so I'm pretty used to it.

2. LICENSES

A. License Terms.

Steam and your Subscription(s) require the automatic download and installation of Software onto your computer. Valve hereby grants, and you accept, a limited, terminable, non-exclusive license and right to use the Software for your personal use in accordance with this Agreement, including the Subscription Terms. The Software is licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in the Software. To make use of the Software, you must have a Steam Account and you may be required to be running the Steam client and maintaining a connection to the Internet.

9. AMENDMENTS TO THIS AGREEMENT

Valve may amend this Agreement (including any Subscription Terms or Rules of Use) at any time in its sole discretion. If Valve amends the Agreement, such amendment shall be effective thirty (30) days after your receiving notice of the amended Agreement, either via e-mail or as a notification within the Software. You can view the Agreement at any time at http://www.steampowered.com/. Your failure to cancel your Account, or cease use of the Subscription(s) affected by the amendment, within thirty (30) days after receiving notification of the amendment, will constitute your acceptance of the amended terms. If you don't agree to the amendments or to any of the terms in this Agreement, your only remedy is to cancel your Account or to cease use of the affected Subscription(s). Valve shall not have any obligation to refund any fees that may have accrued to your Account before cancellation of your Account or cessation of use of any Subscription, nor shall Valve have any obligation to prorate any fees in such circumstances.

Fun consumer rights stuff. So I'd rather own my games outright than at the pleasure of the people I "purchase" them from. Hence why a DRM-free copy is always preferable, IMHO.

A suggestion concerning GoG. Josh how about you contact them to give them an interview? They love indie developers and I love their service. I have gotten many games from them and will be again this weekend at their Black Friday sale. It is good for exposure and I am sure many people looking for DRM free options will tell you, Steam is not a totally DRM free option. The GoG community can hold a poll to bring in your game into their catalogue. GoG provides freebies, and once you download the installer, you can keep the game without worrying about requiring an online activation failing sometime in the distant future. Players will love you all the more when you promise to put this on GoG.

insolent,
I had no idea that my steam games aren't actually mine.
Hmm, I guess the ownership point is moot considering most games nowdays authenticate online before they'll even let you start playing.
So I've kinda expected that if the servers get decomissioned then it's pretty much game over.

Yeah there are people who do wonder what if the authentication servers are no longer online and the game they had bought years ago no longer work. And this is one area GoG has managed to capitalize on. So DRM free becomes an assurance to the real buyer. You buy it, you get to keep it independently.

I'm a huge fan of GoG, and was one pushing them to do indies for a good long while. Probably most of my recent game purchases go through them (or via the dev direct if an Indie not on GoG). So yeah if your pay bracket suits theirs (i think they would set a top price of around £19.99/$19.99 etc) then they are definitely a cool DD to do business with (they also have the best rates in terms of their cut etc).

I've not seen it mentioned yet here, but Desura are also another indie, small dev friendly DD site and they are built with the dev in mind, so apparently offer a handy dev-centric experience, so another worth looking into. It's where i got my versions of 'Fate of the World', 'Conquest of Elysium 3' and 'Xenonauts' (when that is released) from. A good Indie centric DD site for sure.